WESTERN Bulldogs CEO Ameet Bains has addressed concerns over Luke Beveridge\u2019s mental state, saying the Dogs have no reasons to think he won\u2019t coach next round.<\/p>\n
It comes after Beveridge sprayed Fox Sports journalist Tom Morris in a press conference after his side\u2019s first round loss to Melbourne.<\/p>\n
Seemingly unprompted, the premiership coach targeted Morris for his \u201cgutter journalism\u201d over a story he aired on Monday about Lachie Hunter being dropped.<\/p>\n
It was an incident that shocked the footy world due to its ferocity and unprovoked nature, and Beveridge has apologised via a video shared by the Bulldogs.<\/p>\n
Speaking on Sportsday<\/em>, Bains confirmed that Beveridge is \u201cgenuinely remorseful\u201d over his actions.<\/p>\n \u201cI think you could tell from Luke\u2019s genuine emotion in his voice the impact that it\u2019s had on him as he\u2019s reflected on it today,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI spent quite a bit of time with him this morning and he\u2019s genuinely remorseful.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom our club perspective, we take full accountability for what happened as well.<\/p>\n \u201cLuke is a strong leader of our football club, he\u2019s one of us and represents us, so in that context, the club needs to stand up and take accountability for what\u2019s happened as well, not just the individual.\u201d<\/p>\n The outburst has prompted many concerns over Beveridge\u2019s mental state.<\/p>\n Mark Robinson in the Herald Sun<\/em> and Caroline Wilson writing for The Age<\/em> both penned columns on questioning whether Beveridge should be coaching if he is teeing off over a minor story.<\/p>\n Bains admitted he was concerned by what he saw due to it being \u201cout of character\u201d for Beveridge, but is confident in his coach going forward.<\/p>\n \u201cI can understand the element of questioning that, but we don\u2019t have any doubts about him being in the right frame of mind to coach the team in an ongoing basis,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was inappropriate, the club has made a statement on that as well in addition to Luke\u2019s formal apology, but we don\u2019t think it has any longer-term ramifications for his ability to coach the team against Carlton next Thursday or beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite the upfront answers, Bains refused to be drawn into why Beveridge went on his rampage, suggesting the club didn\u2019t want to make excuses while hinting there were things not yet heard by the public.<\/p>\n However, he was clear in wanting to address the leaks that had Beveridge on edge earlier in the week.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is something that we clearly need to run our attention to and have been frankly for the past few days,\u201d Bains said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe reality of it with all clubs, and we see a lot of these things happening particularly around selection, I think.<\/p>\n \u201cMost clubs if not all clubs across the year, that information gets shared across the large playing group who then at different times talk to family, talk to friends, talk to managers, talk to partners, so the circle as to who might have that knowledge over time grows exponentially.<\/p>\n \u201cSo it does becomes very difficult, (but) there\u2019s nothing to suggest anyone is doing this maliciously either, which is the thing we need to keep in mind.<\/p>\n \u201cAn innocent conservation can often lead to things.\u201d<\/p>\n The Bulldogs have committed to donating $20,000 to youth mental health organisation Orygen, and Bains added it was not yet clear if Beveridge or the club would be behind the donation.<\/p>\n He also confirmed the club rang Morris earlier on Thursday to apologise.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n